Stop the Presses: Shutting Down the Civil Rights Commission’s Investigation of DOJ

President Obama and Harry Reid have used their appointment powers to stop the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' investigation into the New Black Panther Party voter-intimidation case. (Don't miss James Poulos' PJTV interview with von Spakovsky and J. Christian Adams from CPAC.)

For a while, at least, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was investigating the Justice Department’s race-based decision to dismiss the New Black Panther Party voter-intimidation case — a case DOJ had effectively won. But now President Obama and Harry Reid have used their appointment powers to stop the investigation.

Never mind the incontrovertible (and mounting) evidence that Eric Holder’s Justice Department applies a racial double standard to the enforcement of several civil rights laws. Holder has been trying to shut down the investigation for 18 months by unlawfully stonewalling all requests for relevant documents and emails and ordering Department employees not to appear for depositions and interviews when subpoenaed.

On Feb. 11, the Commission had its first business meeting with the replacements for several of the commissioners whose terms had expired in December. Former Commissioners Ashley Taylor and Gerald Reynolds had supported the investigation of both the DOJ’s dismissal of the voter-intimidation lawsuit and the far more damning testimony regarding the harassment and intimidation of anyone at DOJ who believes in the race-neutral enforcement of the civil rights laws.

Obama’s two new commissioners, Marty Castro and Roberta Achtenberg, and Harry Reid’s new appointee, Dina Titus (with the unfortunate help of Vice Chairman Abigail Thernstrom), voted to end the NBPP investigation. This despite the outstanding subpoenas the Justice Department has ignored and its total lack of cooperation. The new majority wouldn’t even agree to postpone the vote for one month until Commissioner Pete Kirsanow could be heard on the question (the new majority waited until Kirsanow had to leave the meeting to offer its motion).

So if a court orders the DOJ to turn over documents it is withholding from Judicial Watch, TheWashington Times, PJ Media or other FOIA requesters, the Commission on Civil Rights, which has been pursuing the matter for 18 months, can’t consider it. The same goes if new House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith convinces the Department to cough up the documents it has wrongfully withheld from Congress. How this vote to kill future Commission work on the investigation affects its outstanding subpoenas to DOJ is unclear, but it doesn’t really matter because DOJ now knows the new majority couldn’t care less whether DOJ continues to ignore them.

The new majority also voted to “suspend” the printing of the Commission’s Interim Report by the Government Printing Office until Nancy Pelosi’s presumptive appointee Michael Yaki is reappointed and can write a new rebuttal to add to his already existing dissent in the report. Given the unbelievable dissent he already filed jointly with Harry Reid’s previous appointee, any future rebuttal is sure to be a major work of conspiracy fiction (and we’ll wait to see whether the new Democratic Commissars actually “unsuspend” the printing of the report).

I attended the Commission’s key hearings and read the transcript of many of its other proceedings on this matter. I couldn’t believe how the Commission’s Democratic appointees abandoned their duty as civil rights commissioners in order to defend the administration’s stonewalling. While he was still on the Commission, Yaki opposed every effort to probe how the Holder Justice Department handles its critical responsibility to enforce equal justice under the law. Instead, Yaki acted as the virtual defense counsel for the Obama administration, trying to stop the investigation and obscure and obfuscate the Commission’s findings.

68 Comments, 27 Threads

So if a case involves the rights of blacks, gays, or some other minority, then Holder will investigate it. But if it affects anyone else, they can go pound salt. Yes, that will really build better race relations in this country. Just shows you that both Obama and Holder are nothing more than your average bigots, with very large chips on their shoulders when it comes to white people. So much for the “post-partisan, post-racial” president. These guys really, really, need to be voted out of office next year.

SURVIVE:..HAD ENOUGH OF THIS BLACK B.S….THE W.H. HAS CAUSED MORE HATE
ON WHITE PEOPLE IT JUST MAKES ME SICK….HE MIGHT TALK SWEET, BUT INSIDE OBAMA THEIR IS A LOT OF HATE, AND SOON IT WILL COME BACK ON HIM, AND ALL THE CORRUPT BUSINESS THEY HAVE DONE TO OUR COUNTRY…..DON’T WORRY PELOSI & REID, YOUR DAY WILL COME BEFRE OBAMA’S DAY…ITS IN THE FIX
HAVE A GOOD DAY

Guess what? In an Orwellian manner the DOJ has just given EVERY citizen the RIGHT to eschew the law.

For ONCE the leading lawyers of a gov’t violate/abrogate-again and again-the rule of law, why in heavens name should the average Joe or Jane pay them any heed?

So, while this is not the outcome wanted, nor expected, in a Constitutional democracy, it is what it is-at least until the Obama junta is ousted.

IF freedom is to have any meaning at all then the DOJ has to be the role model for the people.

NO justice, NO rule of law.Simple as that.

By the way, we suffer the same fate in Israel, with a runaway leftist judiciary, and a AG/Prosecutor’s office which can be depended upon to break the rule of law.Furthermore,our justices are picked from within their incestuous fiefdom, more often than not using social engineering techniques(yes, they even crow about it, social (in)justice run amok)in lieu of following said laws.

Gov’t agencies run under leftist rulers ensures that justice is impossible to garner.Leftism is the antithesis to the rule of law.

Darn, and I wanted to move to Israel, too… now I’m not so sure. (Yes, I knew already about the heinously left-wing judiciary in Israel; it seems that lots of things which make America rotten are also in Israel too, if not worse over there; please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.)

The tide is swelling against these Socialist law breakers. There is an undertow amongst the Great Unwashed in America against these continued, never ending assaults on Freedom and the American Way. The level of plain spoken resistance to Obama’s high handed attempts to subvert our economy, our money supply, our individual freedoms etc that you read on websites across the land are deafening.
Small businesses across the land are going Galt in one way or the other. We know this assault on oil, farmers, banks, insurance companies and individual Americans cannot go much longer. We also know that the Terrorist in Chief and Napolitano have left our borders wide open and are very likely terrorist attack of great damage in the United States. We ‘just feel it’. We know in our hearts that they are wrong, that they don’t love America or most of the Americans!
I pray that 2012 comes without a cataclysmic event of their doing. but while I hope and pray, I prepare myself, our food stores, etc because our collective American gut tells us that things aren’t quite right and to prepare for something that we know is coming, though we may not know the time , or the substance of this event.

When do we march on Washington and camp out between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument? When do we show the world, and our fellow Patriots that America can be good to all it’s citizens again when all have more Life, Liberty and the Pursuit, not guarantee, of Happiness?
A storm is rising, can you feel it too?

Yes, I feel the tsunami coming and don’t know what it is but know that the government is the cause, as there are no supporters of the American way and not one individual, or group, that have the balls to go against those in the Democrat party that are hell bent on destroying this great country.

#4 tennesseVolunteer – I do ‘feel’ it. I just hope that those of us who ‘actually’ do Love America – out number those who, for a reason I cannot fathom Hate America. I have watched for quite awhile a sinking Ship and it seems for the last two years with the policies and debt and the continued assault on freedom loving Americans, it’s like I am living in a nightmare and hope I wake up! I don’t think I have ever felt so uneasy and so dismayed at the things that are occurring…

There is an all out Assault on America – our Republic – I will not give up fighting for the ‘moral good’ in America… we have to – there is no where else to run to…

School same thing. Students who use the “N” word are treated as if they had murdered someone. Students who say things like “I’m going to beat the white out of you, boy” receive a quick lecture. I’ve seen it.

You’ve got it! These days, it’s virtually impossible to discipline any students, but especially those in protected groups: they know all the angles, all their “rights”, and that administration will turn into pretzels, in order to accommodate the kids. The inmates are running the asylum, and are going to be lousy, cry-baby, selfish, opportunistic–duped–”citizens”.

Our public schools and most universities are actually incubators of subversives: our kids are being taught, day in and day out, how to end-run the rule of law. S.O.S.!

The education ‘system’ has been corrupt since before the 1960′s. And it is not getting any better.
I have been witnessing a flaming train wreck called “America” for more than 40 years.
There hasn’t been a movie made yet, that can depict this disaster.
Victor Davis Hanson comes close.

Mike, how can you expect any less from any parasite appointed by one that has optimum use of a corrupt court system and media white wash to block any discovery process that will reveal fraudulent documentation and ineligibility to hold any public office? Any prospect of another communist agenda controlled senate to handle any impeachment joke like the last one with the defendant allowed to bring his own dictionary holds little promise for justice.
Traitors, unlike patriots, have long forgotten their cemetery plots and usually have to be reminded to avoid the mass stampede when the sack hits the fan. Fox anchor’s inference that a majority of citizens are pinheads and recent news annalist “balance” adjustment seems to have taken any support off their table. Like all TV media they make their own bed. It’s all down hill from here with all truth, whether volunteered or pressured, reinforcing reformation of justice.

Have you ever wondered when you read a story about human cruelty or the loss of freedom by the citizens of a state how something like that could happen? Like in Germany,Iran or Venezuela? This action by the DOJ and the Obama admin is the kernel that leads to the total loss of freedom by the American people. This is so blatant a disregard of the principle that our nation was founded on that it screams treason! If we reversed the parameters in this debacle the MSM would be screaming racism and bigotry.

This sad farce shows the wish of this administration to change the US from a nation of laws to a nation run by an oligarchy. It is time to circumscribe the powers of the executive. The pathetic occupant of that position has shown how to circumvent with impunity his oath of office.

If by some miracle the current residents of the administration and congress get booted out in 2012 then far reaching trials of malfeasance must happen on many levels of government. Not political trials but trials of criminal nature. Those found guilty need to go to high security prisons, not the tennis resorts they would probably expect.

I am interested in personal responsibility, not guilt by association. If they broke or ignored the law, if they broke their oath to defend the Constitution and the people of the United States then so be it.

I have been against charging outgoing administrations since that fuels the need for them never to be outgoing, “El Presidente for life”. This administration looks all too much like they are trying to go there anyway.

There has always been twisting of the rules in politics but this administration is so corrupt, so cavalier with their law and oath breaking that it just can not be ignored.

Please name the law or regulation that you believe has been broken, by them postponing the publishing of the findings, until there is time for an argument from the other side? Any rule, regulation or law. Just name one.

BrianN can you name the law that allows the DOJ/Odummer admin. to NOT release the findings? To call you a hypocrit is to disparage hypocrits. You take being purposeful ignorance to another high or low depending. So FOI is only good when used against GOP admins, eh?

Nice try with the deflection their brainiac brian. But that’s all you have because you have no real defense for what YOUR administration is doing.

The commission is independent. The commission itself voted not to postpone the release of the memo until a fair rebuttal could be taken on the record. I would be fairly certain that the commission has the authority to decide when it is ready to release a finding. The only report they must make is one every year to the president under section 3(c)(1). However here is a link to the entire legislative history of the commission. Feel free to prove me wrong.

“found to have politicized the hiring process”….what a load. Exactly WHO “found” him to have politicized the hiring process? Because his direct reports were already promoting protocols designed to favor minorities, he wanted to know whether an applicant was ready to adopt such biased posturing, in the highest legal office, no less. This is what the Civil Rights commission was all about, just in case that fact was missed. You seem to demonstrate what the left has become an expert in: twisting the truth and then stating the opposite of what is real. Don’t do us any favors.

So a group of political hacks didn’t like GW firing the attorneys. so what? This was a witch hunt from the beginning. And it has nothing to do with Eric Holder ignoring the equal and fair application of voter laws. I’m not sure why you think is “easy” except that you don’t read English. Maybe you missed the following paragraphs where is says that the President appoints these guys. They serve at the pleasure of the President. Now I would feel better if you got worked up over the czars, or the hacks, (Achtenberg) who just voted to eliminate the Civil rights commission. Or maybe you libs like process when it suits you, and the end results when the process doesnt suit you. This iniquiry was a gross waste of time and money. And just because they put a Federal emblem on it doesnt give it any authority. It was just another group of little mutts yapping at GW’s heels. Reagan had the same thing take place.

No, DOJ is not only politicized under King Barry, it’s been acting in complete contempt of the American people. The WH is acting in contempt of Federal courts, and the democrats in congress are just plain contemptable. So don’t throw up any more links until you actually read what is at the link.

From your link:

U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the President with the advice and
consent of the Senate. See 28 U.S.C. § 541. Because they are Presidential
appointees and not covered by standard civil service protections, U.S.
Attorneys are subject to removal at the will of the President. 11 U.S. Attorneys are appointed for 4-year terms, although upon expiration of their 4-year term they typically remain in office until they choose to leave or there is a change in Administration. USAM § 3-2.120.

In sum, we believe that the process used to remove the nine U.S.
Attorneys in 2006 was fundamentally flawed. While Presidential appointees
can be removed for any reason or for no reason, as long as it is not an illegal orimproper reason, Department officials publicly justified the removals as the result of an evaluation that sought to replace underperforming U.S. Attorneys.
In fact, we determined that the process implemented largely by Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, was unsystematic and arbitrary, with little oversight by the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, or any other senior Department official.

It is high time to blow the lid off the intentional disenfranchisement of a very large segment of the population. If the DOJ is not interested in equal protection under the law for military voters or for voters of a certain race, color or creed…then this debate needs to be had out in the open.

Eric Holder said we were too cowardly to have the conversation. Perhaps Darrell Issa can assist this nation in answering that charge.

And this is a surprise to whom?
This ‘regime’ has been displaying, on a daily basis, how authoritarian they are and intend to be.
THE UNITED STATES IS UNDER THE RULE OF ‘SOFT COMMUNISM’.
Stick around for their encore! It’s devastating! Martial law is closer than you think.

What with his 32 tzars and wanting to have total control of the internet he is on his way now. The MSM is already in the bag so the only true news source we have is the internet. Once that is gone or under his control then we are down to ipads and smart phones.

Look at the White House Press Corps; They’re effectively eliminating the ‘unpleasantness’ of the MSM.
They’re using the ‘social networks’ to communicate their agenda. And they can shut this down at the flick of a switch. Sound like Egypt?
This demographic is Obama’s foundation. This is a ‘diaspora’ of subversives that are enemies of America and it’s Constitution.
And therefore, enemies of Americans.
Even Japan must be thinking they could attack the U.S. again, and enjoy a quick victory.
I really can’t believe I’m witnessing this crap.

You and I have been around long enough to surely understand that voter intimidation and fraud surrounding political power locally and nationally, have been around unabated since the earliest times of immigrant mafia’s…the Irish, the Polish, the Italians, the protestant and catholics, etc.

The ‘display’ of social irresponsibility is what creates the written law and laws have historically proven to have little deterrence in free societies…or even those not so free societies. Corrupted government has historically used ‘selective’ enforcement or lack of enforcement of laws for leverage of some intended gain.

This is a disaster for race relations in the US. On the incomplete, but substantial record, the DOJ Civil Rights Division has been exposed, from within, as a racially biased organization. They have not and will not enforce the law equally, without regard to race. AG Holder has moved this nation back to the days of Jim Crow, only this abuse of power is reversed.

This will fail as all Washington cover ups fail. The certain result is a collapse of trust. And the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is now a laughing stock to erudite citizens.

All this for a few dumb jerks. Will they ever learn? Where do we go from here?

There is a difference between writing up a dissent and being able to present rebuttal testimony. It is unfortunate that you feel the need to bend reality to fit your agenda. Also, it is convenient that you do not mention that the bush administration stacked the panel. The two republicans switched to independent in order to allow Bush to add two more Republicans. Which, means the whole process has been biased.

You claim that I am drinking the cool aid, but did you bother to research my claim before making that accusation. The answer is no, or you would have discovered my claim is accurate. You however are drinking this sites cool aid in large gulps. I have to turn back to the bush administraction because the civil rights commission members serve for 6 years. Perhaps you have trouble with math so let me help. 2011 – 6 = 2005, which is withing the bush administration. Here are too sources which back up my claim. Please feel free to leave your comfort bubble.

Lotsa luck living in the past, dude.
But, if you like, lets go back and discuss your boy Jimmah Cahtah. Or were you even in diapers then?
You’re lucky the internet lets you access any history that hasn’t been ‘purified’ by this ‘regime’. But, with the internet, you CAN access any information that supports your juvenile B.S.

First, I am not sure what Carter has to do with the stacking of the Commission by Bush. Second, maybe you should stop posting on the internet with having taken your meds. Why don’t you ask your nurse for the meds. Also, denying facts just because you disagree with them does not make them false. Why don’t you actually read my links instead of getting angry at them.

Nice misdirection Brian N. Government officials are blocking the enforcement of the laws of the United States. The agency to investigate/review this has quashed any investigation. In both cases they are engaged in unlawful acts.

Polititians have for far too long felt themselves above the law, from the Executive ignoring or not enforcing the law to Congress exempting itself from the laws it passes. It is time they are brought to account.

Is this all you got white boy? YOU have been holding on to these “articles” for this long to use in this post as the foundation of your arguments against our desire to see the DOJ/O administration held to the standard of transparency that you wanted with W?

Please go play with the Kos kids and not here with the adults. You are an insult to Americans. You deserve to live in Cuba or with your buddy Chavez.

Are the N Brain gulps just smaller, or is there a difference in potency, and it does come in different flavors?

Prove It. Link to something.

Sure N Brain. Stand in front the Mirror and scream Prove It. Prove the existence of N Brain Thought. Prove that you exist. Please provide a link. Remember, only use evidence that would hold up in 1st degree murder trial.

Prove It. Gulp on Bro while running in circles. Come see the N Brain Perpetual Motion Logic Exposition at your local carnival.

Silly me, I should just use my imagination like you to decide things. See unlike you, when I make a statement I know it is backed up with facts. So the argument comes down to my facts vs. your imagination.

ALL political appointments are BIASED. That’s why they are called “political appointments!!! Imagine that. I don’t think anyone but you finds that to be a problem. How about 32 + Ceasars?? (aka czars). The travesty here is that the application of law by the holder regime, (Obama’s boys) is biased and bigoted by intent, as indicated under oath. Perez and Fernandez are on the record issuing the dictate that only whites will be prosecuted, (paraphrased).

That is the reason the New Black Panther case was dropped, simply put, and it probably came from the White House. now THAT should bother people. That is the LAW being applied with bias and prejudice…not the process of picking members. More than likely, you were one of the loudest complaining about the release of the all the Federal attorneys by the Bush administration!! Something that was completely legal and legitimate.

Mr. Obama and his minions have provided all the evidence necessary to sustain an bill of impeachment, yet they are safe from it because the majority of Americans benefit from the crimes. Under these circumstances, does democracy have a future in America?

I think the days that a man loves his country are gone. How can a man of politics allow another man to abuse the constitution or any laws of thelans,and still sleep at night bothers me.I wish the hippie days never were,because that’s when most of these Liberals were born.They grew up with drugs in the house and now there is more drugs in the house,so where’s the hope.
Sorry America,I think you are dying.

#22 captaingrumpy – I have mixed feelings about the 60′s. Some good but A LOT BAD and our past has come to haunt us. We still have a lot of Conservatives from the 60′s don’t forget. Remember the 9/12/09 Tea Party March? I wouldn’t put America under just yet… Good always triumphs Evil and I believe that!

The one explanation that is never discussed in the articles about this scandal and the cover up is that there is documentation that connects some portion of it straight to the oval office. There is no known evidence of this, but the pressure in the cover-up is inexplicably tough. So call this a conspiracy theory, but one not as bizarre as the behavior we are witnessing from the executive branch of government and the President’s political allies.

More down to earth, we need an independent counsel to get to the bottom of this and other assaults on the integrity of DOJ since Obama took office.

You claim I am in line with “Big Brother” because I like to fact check. Sorry that I am not as comfortable writing incoherent nonsense like you. I am a regular person, and I think you are free to say and think what you with. However, I just think you should question what you read, especially on an extremely biased site such as this. Group think can lead to blindness of the truth.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick” was Teddy Roosevelt’s slogan.
Try to guess which President loves these two slogans:
“Fight for Allah and not for America!”
“Jigaboo for Jihad and not for Jesus!”
Want some new facts about our lawless Hypocrite-in-Chief?
Google “Obama Fulfilling the Bible” which some have even banned!